The present invention generally relates to the field of postage equipment and their operation and, specifically, to postage scales.
Postage scales and meters are well known to those of skill in the art and have come to be widely used in most business offices. Such systems provide users with a wide variety of capabilities, including the ability to weigh an item, select a desired postage service, enter information relating to the destination of the item, and quickly determine the amount of postage due on the item. Such scales can further communicate with a postage meter or postage register. Postage meters provide the further ability to issue the postage due for the item and maintain accounting information for a particular user.
While meeting with substantial success, prior postage meters and scales have also met with certain limitations. For example, many postage scales rely on one or more ROM packages for storage of rate tables. Such tables are normally updated by a vendor who sends a new ROM package to the user each time rate tables are changed by one or more postage providers. The user or vendor then replaces a prior ROM package with the updated ROM package.
Such systems are subject to a variety of limitations. For example, a user is able to access rate information for only those postal systems and services which the vendor updates or supports. Often a user wishes to have access to rate information which is not normally supported by the vendor. In some cases it would be desirable for distributors and the like to easily provide local customers with rate packs not available from the manufacturer.
From the above it is seen that an improved postage scale and associated components are needed.